Pass the baby. Forget the salt.

I had the genius idea of taking Sweeter out for his birthday today. And even though I was offered free-baby-sitting by my mother, I threw caution to the wind and decided that I could handle dining out with Buttercup in tow.

Sure. Can you say "dumb-ass?"

So there we are, sitting across from each other, with Buttercup nestled safely in the high chair beside us. Since we went to Mongolian BBQ, we alternated who went for food first. And, of course, by the time we both had our meals in front of us, Buttercup was through entertaining herself and wanted to sit on my lap.
The rest of the meal went something like this:

Me: "Wow, this is good. We haven't had a night out like this in, wait, shit!
Buttercup: Ladoo! Ladoo! Ladoo! (This means "I love you." Cute, yes. But not condusive to me eating one-handed as she dives for my fave to kiss me.
Sweeter: "Let me take her for a minute."
He is greeted with silence as I hurriedly pass the baby over the table and take a few bites of food. I have enough time for a third before Buttercup tries lunging acros the table to get back to me.
Sweeter: "Look, she's made friends with the table behind us!"
Me:(no longer eating because Buttercup is now trying to wiggle off my lap so she can go see her new--and very cool--adult friends.) "They're waiting for their check. Maybe they can hold her for a second while I eat?"
Sweeter: "Let me hold her for a second."
The passing of the baby begins again. We have just enough time for me to release and him to catch before she changes direction again and almost hurdles herself across the table back to me. I look at my food. It had tasted so good. I think about trying for another bite when Buttercup interrupts my hungry musings with a glass-breaking shriek as she tries to wiggle off my lap again, this time in an apparant attempt to chase down the waitress who just told her she was beautiful.
Sweeter: "Check please!"

The whole affair took maybe 40 minutes, if that. And before I knew it, we were back home with cold left-overs, empty tummies, and a happy little Buttercup.
And it's time like this that I wonder if the little princess realizes that we are under her complete and total control.